Microsoft - I enjoy Microsoft products and I enjoy reading almost everything about Microsoft as well (RRAS not so much). Reading the dry things always gives me a better understanding of whats going on and the long winded questions really pushes your troubleshooting skills in my opinion. They are a good challenge.

Linux - I really enjoy Linux CLI (GUI not so much). I think Linux is very straightforward and there is all kinds of ways to customize it to do what you want it to do. This is intriguing because you can build a very very stable server and is almost always the best choice as long as the software is tried and true. I've studied Linux a bit but I think it is the hardest to study because they make you memorize the craziest things that you don't have to know. This is frustrating because they should be more focused on helping you piece together the different flags instead of memorizing them. I find this really hard to deal with.

Cisco - Cisco is interesting to me and I really enjoy studying for it. Everything about IOS seems to come off great in a book and on simulation questions and practice questions. From the ground up builds seem to be easier to do and a lot like Linux in my opinion (CCNA level). However when you start getting into complicated designs and larger networks it really gets to be a pain. I am one who has to see a whole picture in order to understand whats going on. You can't come to me and say "beef is used in Tacos and you need to have cheese and shells as well. How much cheese do we need to order?". I'm going to stop you and ask a slew of questions like what is a taco, where do the ingredients come from, what have people done with tacos in the past; before I can truly answer your question. It seems I really need to learn a LOT of information before I would ever be good at it and thats frustrating. In contrast, I can play with Windows and Linux and put the puzzle together as I go instead of having to know what every piece is before I try and put it together like with Cisco.

2 girls 1 taco, I love that

back to the topic. Some people at work told me to try out unix. We had a few systems running sun solaris in the back, but I wasn't cleared to work on them(way above T/S, I wasnt even allowed in the room without supervision). Since I was able to pick up cisco on the command line easy they told me to give unix/linux a try. So Since we got all the CBT's you can want(400+ billion military buget,lol) I might look at the linux+ cbt and see what its all about.

Re: How many of you actually like MS stuff

Originally Posted by empc4000xl

After working as a system admin for a few years, I don't mind the work, but studying a MCSA has been the most borning experience of my life. I'm planning on dropping the course monday. I tried, but I'm just not intrested in this type of work. When I worked at the NOC, I loved it. Cisco is where its at. I find myself watching CCNP CBT's instead of doing my MS work. I'm gonna stop fighting the feeling and get back on the cisco track where I belong and so I won't waste anyones time at work just doing a job becuase I can. Ok I'm done with my rant

Do what you love and excel it!! There is no point forcing yourself down a path that you know is wrong for you.

Now that I'm getting into the more advanced topics with Microsoft I'm starting to like studying wayyyyy more. I believe before it was because I already knew most of the material I was studying that made it boring.

I have always liked Cisco stuff more because it is command line. I don't dig GUI stuff at all (HATE SDM too) that is why I love Cisco and Linux stuff more than MS stuff. Even though I hate it I will probably pick up MS certs sometime. I am thinking I will finish my CCNP soon then do the CCDA, take a break from Cisco then go back to it for CCDP and then some of the other Cisco stuff.

Yes, I'm half way through my MCSA, and I have to say, a lot of it has been tedious and boring. I enjoyed the 70-290 because I actually installed Server 2003, set up my own network, and really got into the questions and learning the ins and out of Server 2003. However, 70-270 was dull, 70-291 looks somewhat interesting actually, and I'll be doing Security+ as my elective, so the path to MCSA isn't looking too too bad. Actually come to think of it, maybe my first sentence is a bit too harsh, but it really does seem like a drag at times if you don't make a conscious effort to add some practical element to it.

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